Method of reserving electronic game machine

ABSTRACT

A method of reserving an electronic game machine, which allows a user to be identified by the machine and lock it for a period of time. The user may return to the game and resume play within the allotted time period. If the user does not return within the allotted time period, or if he begins play at another machine, the locked machine can resume an unlocked position ready for play by others.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of electronic gaming, and more particularly to a method of reserving or locking a game machine for a time period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous types and variations of electronic gaming machines. Since the first development of such machines in the 1960s, video poker and electronic slot machines have proliferated and become a mainstay of casinos. Such casino-type or amusement machines are also popular in bingo halls, video game parlors, game rooms, and other similar establishments. Most gaming machines include a display monitor and buttons or other means by which to select and play the games. The machines may also include a touch screen for card selection, wager selection, and other input by the player. Many casinos or amusement establishments also offer a “Player's Club” or other such card to players, which is attached to a points or awards account, and which allows players to earn casino credits for money spent within the establishment.

A common problem in electronic gaming is the inability of a player to “hold” or “reserve” a machine that he is interested in continuing to play in the event he wishes to briefly leave the machine. Some players may try to indicate their expected return by leaving belongings at or on the machine, leaning chairs on the machine, or placing a cup on a machine handle. This is both unreliable (because another person could easily remove the belongings), and undesirable to the establishment owners (because if the placement of the belongings does detract others from playing the machine, the length of time the machine is not being used is not regulated, and therefore could be for a lengthy period of time).

A need therefore exists to provide a method whereby a player can “reserve” or “lock” a game for a short period of time, so as to allow him to return to a particular machine within a designated time period. A further need exists to provide a method which is easily incorporated with existing systems typical of many gaming establishments, and which will be beneficial to the establishment by encouraging continued play by allowing players to resume play at a specific machine—and therefore keep money in the machine—by allowing them to take short breaks from playing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method of reserving or locking an electronic gaming machine which is designed to provide convenience for players, and to maximize and play time on a machine by a player. A memory/identification reader is integrated into a game machine, allowing a player to swipe or insert a card, chip, or other identification-enabled object which identifies the player and/or is connected to the player's account, such as a points or awards card that accumulates credits or points for machine play. The recognition by the machine of the player's card will enable the locking or reservation feature of the present invention by automatically locking or reserving the machine for a set period of time, or allowing a player to select an option to reserve the machine or choose a specific time period for which to reserve the machine. The use of the feature may also allow for debit of game credits or account points.

A game may be unlocked by return of the player to the machine and insertion or use of the identification-enabled object with the reader before the designated lock time lapses. A machine may automatically unlock for use by anyone if the time lapses on the lock countdown time, or if a player who has locked the machine swipes his identification-enabled object for play at a different machine. In the case of unlocking when a player does not return to the machine in time or by play at a different machine, the credits remaining at time of lock can be credited to the player's account identified by and integrated with the player's identification-enabled object. The machine may also be unlocked at the discretion of the operator of the establishment either via a master release card or via remote electronic means.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein only certain preferred embodiments of the invention are described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing steps in accordance with one method in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a typical electronic game machine;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a representative screen display showing a locking option box of the method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a representative screen display showing a status box;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a representative screen display showing a time locking option box;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a representative screen display showing a locking option box;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a representative screen display showing a status box; and

FIG. 8 is an illustration of two representative screen displays showing the status box and warning box on two machines where a player has reserved one machine and inserted a card into another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms and processes disclosed. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

An electronic gaming machine 10 is modified to incorporate game locking or reserving feature 20. A flow chart showing one embodiment of the method of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The type of game machine 10 could be any electronic game, such as a poker or other card game, racing game, matching game, sweepstakes game, skill game, nudge game, electronic slot machine, or video game. An example of such of a machine is shown in the illustration in FIG. 2. The machine itself 10 is conventional and may comprise numerous different designs, and include components such as a microprocessor or other controller interconnected to a device for receiving bets or wagers, such as a coin or bill reader, credit or debit card reader, or credit ticket reader. The microprocessor is also connected to a display screen 30 showing the elements of the game 32 itself, such as a deck of cards, racing figures, or figures and symbols other progressive slot game. The display screen 30 may be a conventional screen whereby the user selects the required game choices on buttons 12 on the machine 10 itself, or it may be a touch screen which allows the player to make game choices by touching those cards, other objects, or simulated buttons on the screen 30 itself

As seen in FIG. 2, the machine 10 may also feature a reader 40 such as a smart card reader, memory card reader, memory chip reader, or other identification recognition device as a means to identify the machine user. This reader 40 is designed to read identification-enabled objects 42 such as smart cards, memory cards, or memory chips provided by a casino or other establishment. Identification-enabled objects 42 are issued by the establishment and connected to an individual's account. Existing cards, such as “Player's Club” or other such points-accumulating rewards cards are common practice, and are typically swiped at a machine when a player begins play, with points or credits are earned for money spent at the machine. The points or credits can be used in exchange for various events at the establishment, or as a cash-type reward for machine and game play. The identification-enabled object 42 to enable the locking or reserving feature 20 could be a separate identification-enabled object 42 connected to an individual and/or his account, or could be integrated with an already existing points-type account card. The individual machines 10 in the establishment can be networked, such that a players' activity on machines 10 throughout the establishment can be tracked on the network when their identification-enabled objects 42 are swiped on the readers 40 of the machines.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the player swipes the card 42 through the reader 40 on the machine 10 to enable him to “lock” or “reserve” the machine 10 for a designated period of time so that he can retain that machine 10 for a short time while away from the machine 10 and resume play if he returns and swipes his identification-enabled object 42 within that time period. Players often wish to remain on a certain machine 10, when, for example, they have been playing that machine 10 for a while and expect that it will “hit” soon. However, if the player wishes to step away from the machine 10 for a short period of time, there is no way to hold or reserve that machine, and therefore anyone could begin play when the player leaves the machine 10. While some players try to indicate their expected return by leaving belongings at or on the machine 10, this is both unreliable (because another person could easily remove the belongings), and undesirable to the owners of the establishment (because if the placement of the belongings does detract others from playing the machine, the length of time the machine is not being used is not regulated, and therefore could be for a lengthy period of time). The present invention therefore allows a player to lock or reserve the machine 10 for a set period of time so that he may prevent others from using the machine until he returns and swipes his identification-enabled object 42 to unlock it. This is beneficial to the establishment in that an object of the establishment is to keep players' money “on the table,” or, in this case, keep the money or credits in the machine game, for as long as possible. By enabling a player to remain at a machine 10 while allowing short breaks, a player will keep his money in a machine 10, and therefore likely spend more time and money on that particular machine 10 without having to cash out to leave. A player will be more likely to continue play if he can prevent cashing out, and will also increase overall play time by only have a short period of time in which he can be away from the machine 10.

When the player inserts his identification-enabled objects 42 into the reader 40, a lock option box 22 or other item may appear on the screen 30 which allows the player to choose the option to lock/reserve the machine. As seen in FIG. 3, and example of such a box would have allow the player to choose “YES” or “NO” when asked if he would like to reserve the machine. Alternatively, a lock/reserve option box 22 could appear that requires the player to confirm and choose a “LOCK MACHINE,” “RESERVE MACHINE” or similar option before the machine 10 locks. The lock option box 22 could also be one of several that appear upon swiping the card, included with other information or menus that appear when a player uses an identification-enabled object 42 that is also used for points accumulation. For example, if a player swipes his card 40 upon start of play and a number of boxes appear to, for example, confirm account details or choose awards-related options, the lock feature 20 and lock option box 22 could be one of the boxes that appears. Alternatively, the machine 10 could lock automatically upon swiping the identification-enabled object 42, such as when the identification-enabled object 42 is used only to enable the locking feature 20, or if the identification-enabled object 42 and machine 10 are programmed such that the locking feature 20 is automatically activated when the identification-enabled object 42 is swiped at a time other than the start of play. While locked, a status box 24 may be displayed indicating that the machine is locked and how much time remains on the locked status. An example screen 30 display showing a locked machine 10 can be seen in FIG. 4, indication that the machine 10 is locked an displaying the reserve time remaining.

The locking feature 20 may include a monetary charge or debit of credits or award points for enabling the feature 20. For example, when a player enables the locking feature 20, a flat fee may be debited from the player's account, or credits may be debited from the player's awards/points account, or credits may be debited from the total credits remaining on the game of the machine 10 itself The fee may also be dependent on the amount of time chosen to lock the machine 10, if the option to select different time options as described herein is present.

The locking feature 20 can be programmed to include a number of different timing options. In one embodiment, a set time period is programmed into the machine, so that when the machine 10 is locked by a player, a countdown of a pre-programmed time window automatically begins. In another embodiment, the player may be given options for time periods, for example 2:00 minutes, 4:00 minutes, etc., that he can select from the time option box 24 on the screen. A “CANCEL” or other similar button may appear in connection with or as part of the time option box 24. The time option box 24 may appear in, around, subsequent to, or instead of a lock option box 22 for enabling the lock feature 20. FIG. 5 shows an example screen 30 display with only a time option box 24. The different time options may also be integrated with the option described above, such that different options will incur different monetary, points/account credits, or game credits. For example, a 5:00 minute option could incur a point debit of 25 points from the player's awards account, whereas the 3:00 minute option would only incur a 10-point debit (FIG. 5). In another embodiment, the fees could vary depending on the frequency the locking feature 20 was enable by a player; for example, if a player has locked a machine 10 more than twice in one period of a set time frame (e.g. 3 hours), then the flat fee or time-dependent fees would increase. In either the flat fee or variable fee embodiments, the establishment could change the debit amounts based on any number of factors, such as number of people in the establishment at the time, number of people utilizing the locking feature 20 over a certain period of time, etc.

The locking feature 20 may be disabled such that the machine 10 is reactivated in a number of ways. First, a player may unlock the machine 10 by returning to the machine 10 before the allotted time has lapsed and use his identification-enabled object 42 with the reader 40. The machine 10 can be programmed to allow only the player who locked the machine 10 to unlock it. Therefore, only the player who locked the machine 10 may re-activate it by returning to it and identifying himself as the locker by using his identification-enabled object 42. The machine 10 can unlock automatically with the card 42 swipe, or can again pull up a lock option box 22 to allow the player to choose “UNLOCK MACHINE” or a similar option, such that the machine 10 is again active and ready for play. FIG. 6 shows an example screen 30 display where a player returns to the machine 10 he has locked within the allotted time, swipes his card 42, and is given the option to unlock in a lock option box 22. If a different player swipes his card 42 into the locked machine 10, the locking feature 20 may remain in place and the game therefore unresponsive to the swipe, or, alternatively, a status box 26 may appear to inform the person inserting the identification-enabled object 42 that the machine 10 has been locked and that it is therefore unavailable for use at the time and until the time remaining on the countdown timer has lapsed.

The locking feature 20 may also be disabled when the time allotted for locking lapses. If a player does not return to the machine 10 and unlock it in the time allotted upon locking, the game will unlock and be available for use by any player.

The locking feature 20 may also be disabled if the player swipes his card at a different machine 10 than the one that he locked. For example, if a player locks Machine 1 for 3:00 minutes, and swipes his identification-enabled object 42 at Machine 2 before the 3:00 minutes on Machine 1 has lapsed, the information will be communicated over the network, and Machine 1 will automatically unlock. Alternatively, a warning box 26 may appear on Machine 2, warning the player that Machine 1 has been locked, and giving the player the option to continue on Machine 2 and therefore unlock Machine 1, or cancel play on Machine 2 and display the time remaining on Machine 1 to return before it is unlocked. An example screen 30 display showing this can be seen in FIG. 8.

The locking feature 20 may also be disabled through the use of a master unlock card held by the establishment operator. Or, the machine may be unlocked by the establishment operator via the networked control systems.

The credits remaining on a machine 10 may be kept on the machine 10 during the time the machine 10 is locked. A player can lock the machine 10 and therefore also the status of the game and amount of credits on the machine 10 for the time the locking feature 20 is enabled. If the player returns to the machine 10 within the allotted lock timeframe, he can resume play and the credits will have remained during the locked period. If the player does not return to the machine 10 before the time lapses or swipes his card at another machine and thereby unlocking the machine 10, the credits could be added to the player's account connected to the identification-enabled object 42, so that the player does not lose credits from his current game.

Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein. 

1. A method of temporarily reserving an electronic game machine in an establishment, comprising: identifying a user of the machine; reserving the machine for a period of time based on an input from the user; and unlocking the machine based on a second input from the user or an establishment operator.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine further includes a reader.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the reader recognizes an identification-enabled object associated with the user.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the device is a card reader.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the identification-enabled object is a magnetic memory card.
 6. The method of claim 3 wherein the identification-enabled object is further linked to an account associated with the establishment.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of time is predetermined by the establishment operator.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the period of time can be varied by the establishment operator.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of time is selected by the user.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the period of time is chosen by the user from predetermined options selected by the establishment operator.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined options can be varied by the establishment operator.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input from the user is the identification of the user by the machine.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input from the user is a selection to reserve the machine from choices presented on the machine.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine allows the user to accumulate credits based on game play.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein reserving the machine debits credits from total credits accumulated by the user on the machine.
 16. The method of claim 6 wherein reserving the machine debits points from the user's account.
 17. The method of claim 1 wherein the second input from the user is a selection to unlock the machine from choices presented on the machine.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the second input from the user is the identification of the user by a second machine.
 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the second output from the user is a selection to unlock the machine from choices presented on a second machine.
 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the second output from the user is failure by the user to return for identification by the machine before the time period lapses. 